An Act concerning
solar panels and supplementing chapter 27D of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

1. On or before the second
January next following the enactment of P.L. , c. (pending before the
Legislature as this bill), the Commissioner of Community Affairs, pursuant to
the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall
promulgate regulations concerning rooftop solar panels which establish the
following:

a. Technical and safety
standards concerning the installation and maintenance of rooftop solar panels
on new or existing residential and commercial structures;

b. Professional
qualifications, which may include a mandatory certification process, for
contractors installing or performing maintenance on rooftop solar panels on new
or existing residential and commercial structures;

c. Educational
requirements, which may include a mandatory certification process, for any
local official required to inspect, or grant permits for the installation of,
rooftop solar panels on new or existing residential and commercial structures,
provided, however, that any expenses associated with a certification process
required by a regulation promulgated pursuant to this section shall be the
responsibility of the individual seeking certification, and shall not be paid
by a public entity under any circumstance; and

d. Penalties for
non-compliance with the regulations promulgated pursuant to this section.

2. This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill directs the
Commissioner of Community Affairs to promulgate regulations to establish
technical and safety standards for the installation and maintenance of solar
panels installed on the roof of any new or existing residential and commercial
structures. This bill also requires the promulgation of regulations to
establish educational requirements for local officials responsible to grant
permits for the installation of solar panels, and for those local officials
charged with inspecting such panels.

No current law or regulation
provides any technical or safety standards with respect to the installation,
maintenance, or inspection of rooftop solar panels in the State. This bill
would make certain that solar panels are installed and maintained properly and
in a safe manner, and that local officials are knowledgeable about this
increasingly common type of alternative energy.